FAQs

Recology is a 100% employee-owned company serving more than 2.5 million residential and 100,000 commercial customers across the West Coast. They are the current service provider for 13 other cities in King County, including Bothell, Burien, Carnation, Des Moines, Issaquah, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, North Bend, Redmond, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, and Tukwila.

Recology operates a local call center in Seattle, with customer service available every day of the week, including Sundays.

Learn more about Recology on their website: https://www.recology.com/

The city's10-year contract with Republic Services ends on March 31, 2027.

In advance of the contract ending, we wanted to hear from residents on which services they wanted to see as part of the next waste collection contract. We conducted a 17‑question community survey in April 2025, receiving 244 responses from single-family residents. What we heard from residents is that it is important to have a locally-based customer service center and a regional presence. Residents ranked service reliability as the most important factor in selecting a service provider for the next contract, over cost, sustainability, and customer service.  

Last September, the city received proposals from five waste collection companies to provide service in Renton. City staff reviewing the five proposals prioritized maintaining robust and reliable services, minimizing customer rate increases, providing convenient customer interactions, supporting the city's draft Zero Waste Plan, and fostering a strong city and contractor partnership.  

Recology was selected as Renton’s next waste service provider based on its strong track record, competitive rates, local presence, and commitment to both customer service and environmental sustainability.

Renton residents can expect more than 60 service improvements under the new waste services contract.

Recology will begin providing garbage, recycling, and food & yard waste collection in Renton on April 1, 2027. Until then, Republic Services will continue to serve as Renton's waste hauler. 

The 2027-2028 customer rates will be finalized and approved by city council this fall. The final rates will be published before December 2026. Your monthly cost will primarily depend on the size of your garbage container. Base rates with Republic Services were set ten years ago, and, with any new contract, we’d be seeing increases for inflation, fuel, and other costs. 

We currently project an overall increase of 8.1% for the 2027 rates.

Yes. The Clean Sweep program will still be available to residents living in houses. The program offers one extra collection of garbage (up to 10 bags and 2 bulky items) at no extra cost per year.

Under the Recology contract, Clean Sweep services will also be available in January and February (this program is currently only available March through December).

As part of the new contract, billing for waste services will be monthly and managed by city staff beginning in April 2027. Residents and commercial customers will be able to pay all their bills for city-provided services (water, wastewater, surface water, and waste collection) in one convenient spot instead of managing payments between the city and their waste service provider.

Messaging about the new billing process will be communicated as we get closer to April 2027. For more information on utility billing in general, visit our website at https://www.rentonwa.gov/City-Services/Utilities/Utility-Billing

To align with new state regulations, all garbage and compostables carts will switch colors. This change will happen in phases, starting April 1, 2027 and finishing by August 29, 2027.

You will not need to do anything except put your carts out on your regular pickup day. Recology will let you know when your carts will be changed.

Cart Color Changes:

• Garbage (will be gray or black): For items that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted. 
• Food & Yard Waste (will be green): For fruit and vegetable scraps, meat, bones, yard trimmings, and other approved compostable items.
  

Remains the Same:

• Recycling (blue): For clean paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, and other accepted recyclables.

Some routes may change. You will receive a mailer in advance of any changes.

No. All existing accounts will automatically transfer to Recology. You’ll receive information by mail with your service details, such as which day of the week your waste will be collected, when your garbage and compostables carts will be swapped, and which new services will be available.